Navigating instrument



Feb. 12, 1952 Filed Feb. 16, 1948 W. J. DONNELLY NAVIGATING INSTRUMENT 2 SHEETS-SHEET l o d Kl; Co @s /7 da i `X56 0% /22 %M%/ Z-/T 23 27 4 j -N/@ l 4 2 7M so, @ISO/60,70 of @om wal/er J. Donne/ly INVENTOR.

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NAVIGATING INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 16, 1948 2 Sl-TEETS-SI-IEET 2 'I Waller J. Donne/lyA IN VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y NAVIGATING INSTRUMENT Walter J. Donnelly, Baldwin, N. Y.

Application February 16, 194s, serial No. 8,568

' '.Ihe present inventionrelates generally to new and useful improvements in navigating instruments and more particularly to a bearingnder for'obtaining the necessary direction in degrees for plotting ones position lfrom a particular point that can be recognized and is shown on the map or chart.

An important object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this character including the provision of a pair of concentrically arranged scales mounted in a horizontal position toy a suitable supporting structure, such as the ceiling of 4a cabin or on the deck or other flat surface of a ship and including a rotatable scale and a relatively xed scale and providing a sightingelement carried by the rotatable scale for sighting a known object whereby the plot ones position as indicated on the rotatable scale with respect to the iixed scale which has been set to correspond with a compass reading.

A further object of this invention is to provide a perpendicular supporting shaft for the sighting element which is foldable against the rotatable scale, when not in use and mounting the sighting element for vertical adjustment on the shaft.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is eflicient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for th-e purposes for which the same is intended. y I

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and. operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing the manner of supporting the instrument to an overhead structure;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the inner and outer concentric scales;

Figures 4, and 6 are fragmentary sectional views taken respectively on the lines 4 4, 5-5 and E-Ii of Fig-ure 1, and

Figure '1 is a perspective view of the sighting rod. f

Referring now to the drawingsin detail wherein for the purpose of illustration lI have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates an attaching plate provided with screws or other Afastening devices 6 by means of which the plate may be secured to an 4; Claims. (Cl.- S23-w72)- overhead supporting structure; such as the ceiling of a cabin or the like as indicated in Figure'2 of the drawings, or for securing the plate on the surface of a deck or other flat supporting structure.

A ring 1 is rotatably mounted against the exposed surface of attaching plate 5 by L-shaped hangers 8 secured to the attaching plate by screws or the like 9 and a disc I0 is likewise positioned against the exposed surface of attaching plate 5 within ring 1. i

The adjacent 'edges of ring 1 and disc I0 are rabbeted to provide a flange II on the periphery of disc I0 overlying a flange I2 formed on the inner periphery of ring 1 to thus rotatably sup'- port the disc Within the ring.

The surface of ring 1 is provided at its inner edge with an outer annular scale I3 and the surface of disc I0 at its outer edge is provided with an inner annular scale I4.

The scale I3 is graduated in degrees in one Adirection from a Zero setting I5 to three hundred and sixty deg-rees and the scale I4 is graduated oppositely in degrees fromr a zero setting I6 to one hundred and eighty degrees.

A locking lug I1 is mounted on a bolt I8 threaded in the attaching plate 5 and provided with a shoulder I9 bearing against the surface of ring 1, thebolt being provided with a wing head 20 vfor clamping the lug against the ring to secure the ring in a stationary position.

A pointer 2! of transparent material is also secured to the attaching plate 5 by screws 22, the pointer projecting inwardly of the surface of ring 1 into an indicating position at 'the adjacent edges of both of the scales I3 and I4.

A square shaft 23 is pivoted at one end to th center of disc I0 by means of an attaching bracket 24 for folding against the disc.

A sighting bar 25 is provided with a clamping guide 26 intermediate its ends for clamping the bar in a vertically adjusted horizontal position on shaft 23 by a set screw 21. Front and rear sights 28 and 29 are carried at the ends of bar 25.

In the operation of the device, with the attaching plate 5 secured to an overhead supporting structure as indicated at 30 in Figure 2, the shaft 23 is suspended from the center of the disk I0 in a perpendicular position.

The scale I3 carried by ring 1 is set in accordance with the reading of a compass (not shown) and locked by lug I1. The course of the ship is held steady and sighting bar 25 is turned to align sights 28 and 29 on a known object from which a bearing is wanted. Bearing as per ships compass can then be read on scale I3 as indicated by the pointer I6 on scale I4. Scale I4 is used for taking bearings relative to the ships heading from zero degrees at dead ahead to 1806 right or left at the stern without any adjustment or use of scale I3. The object to be sighted is aligned over sights 28 and 29 and the bearing is read positively on scale I4 at the pointer on 2|.

In view, of the. foregoing description taken in conjunction withathe accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accord'- v ingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and describeda 4 3. A navigating instrument comprising a at stationary member and a at rotatable member positioned centrally in confronting relation one upon the other, a scale on one member and a pointer on the other member coasting' with the scale, said stationary member forming an aty taching plate for securing either under or on top of a supporting structure to expose the scale and pointer in either an upwardly or downwardly facing Vposition and a sighting deyice'.; including a perpendicular handle having one end secured to the center of the rotatable member, a sighting preferred embodiment of therinventionsthel same j top'ofiasupporting structure to expose thescale l and pointer in either an upwardly kor 'dov/'nwarc-ily .flaeing position; andra tightening device including afperpendiculan handleghaving yune end'secured :tother centerof the' rotatable member, a sighting barihaving )front :andy rearasights, and; means; :re versibly securing thesiglritingf.haii:inr position:r on fthe ,handle 'toam'aintain thenffront: and rear sights uppermostingaccordaneefwithzthe reversal of, the

instrument.

2. A navigating instrument lcomprising a;.fiat annularplate, f onenrimore; concentric,- .calibrated membersrrotatably carried-at.` nnefsurface-of `the .plata-.a :pointer-.carried byA `theVv plate coacting with atnleastc'one 'of t the `calibrated members, means selectiveiyafseeuringjthe plate to either .an overheads onzuriderneath supporting'structure. in ,asposition to exposejhe, calibrations and pointer in a'. downwardly o'rupwardly. facing position, and afrfsightingf: device 1V 'including f a perpendicular handlenhavingf oneaend Isecured to-ther center .of the innermost rotatable member, ,a sightingv bar having frontand rear sights, and means reversi- -hly .securing-:the sightingbar :in position on the ihandlento maintain the 'frontfand rear isights uppermostijnf accordance :with ftheg reversal' .of

the instrument.

vbar having front and rear sights, and a clamp 'iearriedibyamhe sighting bar reversibly securing the sighting bar in position on the handle to "maintaimthefront and rear sights uppermost ment.

-=4."A navigating instrument comprising a flat annular plate, one or more concentric calibrated members.rotatablyarriecl at-one surface ofthe plate, apointer Ycarried by the: plate;-v eoacting with at: vleast .one ofpfthe calibrated zmembers, meansselecti-vely securing the plate to either l. an overhead orzunderneath supportingstructurer-in a: position; :to exposer-the,- .calibrations and pointer -insapcerdaneefwith the reversal of the instruin a downwardly or upwardly facing position,`

meanslocking the outermost. calibrated member Loiithe4 plate, :and .a A'sighting device including-ry a perpendicular handle having one end secured to .the centerof -the exposed :surface ofthe `-innermost calibratedmember, .asighting bar lhaving front-'and rearsights, and means reversiblyf -securing the sighting barinrposition on the handle to; maintain .the 4-front and vrear-'sights uppermost in accordance ywith the reversal vof thel instrument.v

WALTER J. DONNELLY.

Aniermann,ons CITED The. ollowingrreferences@are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS vm `n 

